INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's share of tobacco settlement funds will drop
by about $63 million next year.

The Indianapolis Star reports a three-judge arbitration panel last month
decided to decrease Indiana's share from about $131 million a year to $68
million because it hadn't done enough to collect funds from cigarette
companies that weren't part of the original settlement in 1998. The money
Indiana receives from that settlement is used for programs that help
people stop smoking and tries to prevent others from starting.

Reps. Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis, and Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said they
learned about the ruling during a meeting with the Indiana attorney
general's office and they are worried the decreased funding will hurt
efforts to improve Indiana's health.